1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable-terminal connecting device which is connectable a terminal of an electric wire and/or a cable to an electrode post of positive or negative polarity, disposed on a power supply battery which is mounted in a vehicle (e.g., automobile).
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-110888, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a related example of a cable-terminal connecting device, one disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 8-339851 has been known, and is schematically shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
Two electrode posts 2 (only one is shown in the drawing) of positive polarity and negative polarity, respectively, are provided uprightly on a battery body 1, and a cable 3 corresponding to each electrode post 2 of positive or negative polarity is connected to the electrode post 2 by a metal terminal 4 provided at an end of the cable 3. As is apparent from FIG. 4B, which is a plan view, the metal terminal 4 is secured to the cable 3 as a crimp portion 4b provided at the end of its terminal body 4a is crimped against a conductor 3a exposed by stripping an insulating coating at the cable end. A distal end portion of the terminal body 4a is formed as a post winding-around portion 4c which is formed circularly and returns in parallel, and this post winding-around portion 4c ia adapted to be wound around the electrode post 2. In addition, a pivot pin 5 is provided at parallel portions of the terminal body 4a. On one end side of the pivot pin 5, a lever 6 is pivotally supported at a longitudinal end thereof, while the other end of the lever 6 is pivotally supported by a box-shaped protective cover 8 by a pivot pin 7.
By virtue of the above-described structure, at the time of the cable connecting operation, the post winding-around portion 4c of the metal terminal 4 is lowered and fitted around the electrode post 2 in a wrapping manner. Subsequently, the protective cover 8 is rotated in the direction of arrow A, which is a clockwise direction, by pressing down a right end portion in FIG. 4A. In this operation of pressing down the cover, the lever 6 rotates about the axis of the pivot pin 5, and the terminal body 4a of the metal terminal 4 is subjected to compression in a direction in which the diameter of the post winding-around portion 4c is reduced, thereby tightly clasping the electrode post 2. Thus, the cable 3 is electrically connected to the electrode post 2 on the battery body 1.
With the device shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the following problems may be encountered.
First, in general, a typical metal terminal is secured to a cable end by crimping or the like as a single unit, so as to prepare for connection to an apparatus in an ensuing step, and is easy to handle in one aspect. However, in the case of the metal terminal 4 of the above-described structure, the box-shaped protective cover 8 is coupled to and integrated with it by the lever 6. For this reason, at the time of connection to the electrode post 2, the integrated structure on the complex metal terminal side is handled, so that the operation is extremely troublesome. Moreover, the number of component parts is large, including the metal terminal 4, the lever 6, the protective cover 8, and the pivot pins 5 and 7, so that there is a disadvantage in terms of cost.
Second, a situation can occur in which even after the protective cover 8 is pressed down starting from the state shown in FIG. 4A, and the cable is set in a state in which its connection to the post 2 has been completed, the lock still fails to function, and the protective cover springs up unexpectedly, causing the metal terminal 4 to come off the electrode post 2.
Furthermore, another problem is that the metal terminal 4 and the protective cover 8 are not directly coupled, and a pin hinge structure using the lever 6 on one side is adopted. Accordingly, the twisting or distortion of the protective cover 8 are liable to occur particularly with the pivot pin 7 as a fulcrum, and the locked state is unstable even after completion of the cable connection. For this reason, it is conceivable that the metal terminal 4 may become exposed, with the result that the protective cover 8 fails to perform its insulating function.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable-terminal connecting device for a battery which enhances the operating and handling efficiency by reducing the number of component parts and adopting a simple structure, and which makes it possible to maintain required insulation performance by maintaining a stable locked state after connection to the cable.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable-terminal connecting device for electrically connecting a cable to one of positive and negative polarity electrode posts of a battery. The cable-terminal connecting device comprises a metal terminal, to which a cable is connectable, including an post winding-around portion which is connectable to an electrode post to clasp from an outer side thereof, the electrode post being projected on a battery body; a lock lever attachable to the metal terminal, wherein when the lock lever is pressed down to a locking position, a clasp by the post winding-around portion with respect to the electrode post is set in a locked state; and an insulating protective cover attachable to the metal terminal so as to cover and accommodate at least an entire connecting portion of the metal terminal, connected to the electrode post, when a distal end portion of the protective cover is pressed down, while using as a fulcrum a proximal end portion of the protective cover abutted against the post winding-around portion, and while causing the lock lever to follow the protective cover so that the lock lever is pressed down to the locking position.
By virtue of the above-described construction in accordance with the first aspect, it is possible to separately form the metal terminal connected to an end portion of the cable and the protective cover for accommodating and protecting the metal terminal. Namely, since a member for coupling the two members is not needed, the number of component parts can be reduced accordingly, and handling during the operation is facilitated. Further, it is possible to overcome the deviating motion, such as shaking, of the protective cover during the pressing-down operation, which has been experienced with the example of the related art due to the fact that a coupling member is interposed. Meanwhile, in a state in which the post winding-around portion of the metal terminal is tentatively positioned after being lowered and fitted around the electrode post, when the protective cover is made to catch that post winding-around portion, and is operated by being pressed down by using the post winding-around portion as a fulcrum, the lock lever on the metal terminal side is pressed against the electrode post by following the movement. Hence, the three members, including the electrode post, the metal terminal, and the protective cover, are automatically locked as a unit. Namely, the connecting operation can be easily effected virtually with a single motion, and there is no chance of the protective cover lifting up or springing up after completion of the connection, which has been experienced with the structure of the related art. Accordingly, such the metal terminal as connected to the electrode post can be insulated and protected reliably.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the device of the first aspect may further comprise a lock cam portion formed on a proximal end portion of the lock lever, wherein the lock cam portion has a cam surface which is pressed against the electrode post when the lock lever is located at the locking position. In this case, the lock lever is pivotally supported through a pivot pin at a root portion of the post winding-around portion so as to be pivotable in a pressing-down direction in an angular range of substantially 90 degrees from a substantially vertical position to the locking position which is a substantially horizontal position, while a distal end portion of the lock lever serves as a free end.
By virtue of the above-described construction in accordance with the second aspect, by merely effecting the pressing-down operation of the protective cover in the direction of being fitted over the metal terminal in the state of being tentatively positioned around the electrode post, the lock lever on the metal terminal side is set from the substantially vertical position to the locking position, in interlocking relation thereto. When the electrode post is pressed by the cam surface of the lock cam portion of the lock lever, moment based on the force of a lever and the force of cam action works, thereby making it possible to obtain a firmly locked state.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the device according to any one of the first and second aspects may further comprise at least one terminal-locking pawl portion formed on a proximal edge of the protective cover, wherein the terminal-locking pawl portion serves as the fulcrum when the distal end portion of the protective cover is pressed down while the terminal-locking pawl portion is abutted against an edge of the post winding-around portion.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the device according to any one of the first aspect to the third aspect may further comprise a lever-operating cap portion pivotably disposed on a cover body of the protective cover, the lever-operating cap portion being operative, while pivoting together with the lock lever, to open and close a cap-accommodating elongated hole, which is formed in an upper surface of the cover body, and through which a part of the lock lever is passable.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the device according to any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect may further comprise at least one cap locking projection projected on an outer wall surface at a distal end of the lever-operating cap portion; and at least one cap locking recess engageable with the cap locking projection, the cap locking recess being formed in a distal end portion of the cover body. In this case, the lever-operating cap portion is set in a locked state with respect to the cover body when the cap locking projection is engaged with the cap locking recess.
By virtue of the above-described construction in accordance with respective one of the third aspect to the fifth aspect, the following advantageous effects are presently considerable. As for the protective cover, by making effective use of plastic molding, the lever-operating cap portion can be molded integrally with the cover body so as to be capable of being raised or laid down freely. Further, since it suffices if the cap locking projection and the cap locking recess are merely molded to allow the cover body and the lever-operating cap portion to be fitted with each other, insulation and protection of the metal terminal after connection can be effected easily and reliably without using a special mechanical part for fitting or locking, and the overall structure becomes very simple.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the device according to any one of the first aspect to the fifth aspect may further comprise a lever locking projection formed on an inner surface of a side wall of the lever-operating cap portion or the cover body of the protective cover. In this case, the lever locking projection is abutted against the lock lever from therebelow to retain the lock lever.
By virtue of the above-described construction in accordance with the sixth aspect, if the lever locking projection is integrally formed on the inner side of the cover body of the protective cover, the lock lever on the metal terminal side can be locked by this lever locking projection.